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What kind of movee are you? Claire Hose, MoveMinder

What kind of ‘movee’ are you?

People react to moving house in different ways. In my job as a move manager I meet the whole spectrum of ‘movees’; most are calm, safe in the knowledge that I will make their move easier... others are not. And for those who tackle their moves alone, I have identified the following categories:

Uber-stressed
Acutely conscious of anything and everything that could go wrong, what might get broken and whether the whole process will run smoothly, this movee doesn’t really help themselves, or those around them, by frantically running around, questioning everyone and everything. Hiccups occur, but it is rare that something so disastrous that it cannot be solved happens. The best thing for this movee to do is be prepared; plan every last detail and if it reassures them, create contingency plans for potential problems. Also, take a chill pill.

Oblivious
Sorry to be stereotypical, but this is usually the man about the house. Happy to let everyone else deal with the stresses and hard work around them, the oblivious movee is happy to potter around being given the odd job here and there; something to disassemble, oil or fix, perusing the open boxes and delighting in discovering the odd long-lost possession. If the oblivious movee is the person in charge, expect delays and boxes left unpacked for long periods, maybe forever, in their new property. If you know this type of movee, try to crank them up to merely ‘laid back’ and you all might have a relaxed move.

Control Freak
This is my kind of movee; they have checklists galore, have had everything planned for months, and belongings neat and organised for easy transfer into boxes. Friends and family have been drafted in to help and removal companies were well vetted before choosing the most suitable one for the job. Cleaners are poised at each property and any unwanted clutter has been sold/donated/dumped long ago. The only problems they encounter are caused when other people don’t follow the plan so they must learn to be adaptable to avoid unnecessary stress.

Disorganised
The intention to declutter and tidy up before moving day may have been there, but for whatever reason, it didn’t happen. So now it’s action stations – everything has to be done at once and you’re up against the clock. It’s the perfect recipe for high stress and the only way to deal with it is to suck it up and get on with it. The more man power you have the better, so call in a favour from friends, or be prepared to pay for extra help. Set up a redirection at the post office and make sure your insurance is up to date, you can deal with everything else later... just make sure you get around to it sooner rather than later.

The Skinflint
Moving house is a costly business at the best of times, so not wanting to spend more than you need to is understandable. But take it too far and you might end up regretting your thrifty ways. If you want to save money you have to plan your move with military precision and know your limitations. Hiring a van isn’t always cheaper than hiring a company to help; if you add up the hard work, stress and time it takes to pack and move is it really worth it to do it yourself? Likewise, rescuing boxes from here there and everywhere isn’t always a good idea – if they’re too weak or damaged to hold your belongings safely it could result in costly damages.

Whatever category you fall into remember that whatever you do the move involves other parties who will be affected by your actions, so good communication is hugely important. Whether these ‘others’ are your family, advisers or service providers, talking regularly so you all know what the others are doing is the best way to keep stress to a minimum.

Claire Hose

‘Expert mover’ Claire Hose is Managing Director of MoveMinder Limited. MoveMinder Limited is a move management company which specialises in assisting individuals with all the additional tasks associated with moving house.

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